Researchers develop pale purplish-pink petunia via CRISPR-Cas9

Hanyang University scientists developed a pale purplish-pink Petunia using CRISPR-Cas9. Their findings are published in Plant Cell Reports. The research team performed site-specific mutagenesis in Petunia to change the flower color. The commercial Petunia cultivar ‘Madness Midnight’ has been known to have two F3H coding genes and thus they designed …

Zeaxanthin‐rich tomato fruit developed through genetic manipulations of carotenoid biosynthesis

Researchers from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem developed zeaxanthin-rich tomato fruit using transgenic metabolic engineering and conventional breeding techniques. Providing food sources with high zeaxanthin concentration could help curb the progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), one of the leading causes of blindness. Zeaxanthin has several benefits to human health …

GLP releases Global gene editing regulation tracker and index

The Genetic Literacy Project has developed two interactive tools that track and index gene editing and gene editing regulations worldwide, helping to illuminate how regulations can encourage or hinder innovation. The Global Gene Editing Regulation Tracker and Index sum up gene editing regulations in the field of agriculture, medicine, and gene drives …

GM poplar field trials result to sustainable biomass production without isoprene emission

A group of scientists were able to successfully developed genetically modified (GM) poplar trees that do not emit the gas isoprene. Two field trials in the US showed that the GM poplars were not affected by their non-production of isoprene and they grew normally just like conventional poplars. Isoprene is …

Scientists use CRISPR to develop apples Resistant to fire blight

Erwinia amylovora, the bacterium that causes the fire blight disease in apple, triggers its infection through the DspA/E effector which interacts with the apple susceptibility protein MdDIPM4. Researchers used the CRISPR-Cas9 system to produce defective MdDIPM4 which were delivered to susceptible apples (cultivars, ‘Gala’ and ‘Golden Delicious’) using Agrobacterium tumefaciens. …